Parviraptoridae

Parviraptorids; Temporal range: ; Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (Bathonian–Berriasian) PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Superorder:	Lepidosauria
Clade:	Pan-Squamata
Clade:	incertae sedis
Family:	† Parviraptoridae ; Benson et al., 2025
Type genus
	† Parviraptor ; Evans, 1994
Genera
	† Breugnathair ; † Diablophis ; † Eophis ; † Parviraptor ; † Portugalophis ;

Last updated October 11, 2025

Parviraptoridae is an extinct family of enigmatic total group squamate reptiles, known from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian age) to Early Cretaceous (Berriasian age) of Europe and North America. Members of this clade are characterized by an unusual set conflicting anatomical traits comparable in some ways to snakes and varanids within the Toxicofera, while also bearing several characters unlike all modern squamate groups.^[1]

Renderings of several Parviraptor holotype skull bones
Speculative life restoration of Breugnathair

Classification

Using different datasets and constraints, Benson and colleagues (2025) found three potential placements for Parviraptoridae within the Lepidosauria (clade containing tuatara, lizards, and snakes): either in a basal position in the squamate stem group (Pan-Squamata; P1), or within the derived clade Toxicofera, as an independent branch (P2) or part of the snake stem group (Ophidia; P3). These alternate placements are summarized in the simplified cladogram below:^[1]

Lepidosauria

Rhynchocephalia

Pan-Squamata

Parviraptoridae (P1)

Squamata

Gekkota

⇑

'other squamates'

⇓

Toxicofera

Iguania

Parviraptoridae (P2)

Anguimorpha

Parviraptoridae (P3)

	Serpentes

(crown group)

References

1 2 Benson, Roger B. J.; Walsh, Stig A.; Griffiths, Elizabeth F.; Kulik, Zoe T.; Botha, Jennifer; Fernandez, Vincent; Head, Jason J.; Evans, Susan E. (October 1, 2025). "Mosaic anatomy in an early fossil squamate". Nature. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09566-y . ISSN 0028-0836.

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[Breugnathair-1] 1 2 Benson, Roger B. J.; Walsh, Stig A.; Griffiths, Elizabeth F.; Kulik, Zoe T.; Botha, Jennifer; Fernandez, Vincent; Head, Jason J.; Evans, Susan E. (October 1, 2025). "Mosaic anatomy in an early fossil squamate". Nature. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09566-y . ISSN 0028-0836.

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